Chicano Park: a colorful history

The San Diego community of Barrio Logan was shaken up by industrialization brought on by the opening of Interstate 5 in 1963 and the San Diego-Coronado Bridge in 1969, which displaced nearly 1,500 families in the barrio. In 1970, the construction of a highway patrol station in the area galvanized Chicano activists and Barrio Logan residents: They protested, demanding a space of their own, free from development. The resulting land, located under the bridge, became known as Chicano Park. The original muralists saw the massive concrete structures rising above their homes as a potential canvas for cultural expression. The artists began their murals on the sides of the highway on-ramps, sharing pieces of their history and culture with all who came to the park. “These were the murals that started the fire,” artist Guillermo Aranda said. Their message was, and continues to be, simple. “Sí se puede,” said muralist Guillermo Rosette. “Yes we can.”

Guillermo Rosette works on a detail of the “Historical Mural” in Chicano Park. The message of the muralists is simple, Rosette said: “Sí se puede. Yes we can.”

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Guillermo Rosette works on a detail of the “Historical Mural” in Chicano Park. The message of the muralists is simple, Rosette said: “Sí se puede. Yes we can.”

With the stroke of a brush, a team of Chicano muralists started a movement in 1973 when they painted the “Historical Mural,” the first mural in Barrio Logan’s Chicano Park. Now, with help from a $1.6 million state grant, they have reunited to restore their original artwork almost 40 years later.

“It’s been real exciting to come back,” said San Diegan Salvador “Sal” Barajas, who, with his fellow artists, put the finishing touches on the mural Thursday. “What I like about this crew is that we work together quite well. We blend. I feel fortunate to be working with them again.”

Barajas and other members of the artists collective Toltecas en Aztlan are part of a larger group working to restore 18 of the park’s 72 murals, with one mural left in the effort.

Update

An earlier version of this story incorrectly referred to the name of the artists collective involved in the effort. The correct name is Toltecas en Aztlan.

Chicano Park supporters also credit Martin D. Rosen, Caltrans’ former senior environmental planner and a major ally of the park.

“He was an integral part in getting this … long-overdue restoration project finalized,” said Maria-Elena Ugalde, the niece of muralist Guillermo Aranda.

The process of restoring the murals — mostly painted on the ramps and pillars supporting the San Diego-Coronado Bridge and Interstate 5 — is lengthy, requiring a week to clean the mural, followed by scraping off peeling paint and adding a new coat of primer. After that, the painting can begin.

The muralists, who met while painting and teaching at Centro Cultural de la Raza in Balboa Park, hope that their work will educate future generations.

“Historical perspective is important,” said San Diegan Armando Nuñez. “It doesn’t matter where you come from, anyone can identify with history.”